Mayor offers cautious praise for Muni

Tools

Even though it’s been a rocky year for Muni, Mayor Gavin Newsom offered up some praise for the embattled agency — kind of.Speaking at a end-of-the-year address he recorded for YouTube, Newsom acknowledged Muni’s improvements with its on-time arrival performance, although the mayor was quick to put those compliments in context.

“I hesitate to say anything positive about Muni, but I think we need to acknowledge that, in spite of some of the headlines, in spite of some of the frustration…in most categories we’re moving in the right direction.”

Last fiscal year, Muni recorded an on-time performance rate of 73.3 percent, the highest mark in decades, although it still fell below the agency’s 85 percent benchmark.

Newsom specifically singled out Muni’s 30-Stockton bus and the N-Judah light rail line for their high on-time performance rates.

“I know the bar is low … but we’re doing better,” said Newsom. “I do hesitate to say anything positive about Muni, because I end up getting more email and complaints that just about anything.”